Release the Juggalos

No joke: Let’s get this out of the way: Yes, Juggalos like Tech N9ne. And yes, there were Juggalos in attendance at the rapper’s show at Ace of Spades on September 25, snaking down the block in line outside for a full four hours before the show—very few in full clown-face. No Juggalo jokes here, though. I have a fondness for the Insane Clown Posse and its fans (even though I don’t count myself among the latter), and besides, a lot of the jokes about Juggalos smack of classism.

Tech N9ne’s ICP connection does not mean he doesn’t have rap cred, though. He’s been at the rap game for 20-plus years, after all. Tech N9ne, whose music is an unusual mix of emo, rage-rock choruses and lightning-fast spitting, is also within kissing distance of 2 million albums sold, and his recent release, Something Else, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart to general critical acclaim.

At Ace of Spades, Tech took the stage with his rotund, Cee Lo Green-lookin’ collaborator Krizz Kaliko, both wearing white scrubs that gave them the (obviously intentional) look of mental patients.

The two performed for more than 90 minutes, with highlights that included “B.I.T.C.H.” and—hilariously—a song called “Areola,” during which he encouraged ladies to flash him. A few complied, and when he pulled a woman from the crowd onto the stage, the big smile on her face and the bear hug he gave her in return made it seem more cute than seedy.

Tech N9ne is a seasoned road warrior with a strong fan base in Sacramento. The rapper also performed here in April, and will probably be back again soon, so, if any of this sounds intriguing, you’ll likely get a chance to check him out. Just don’t laugh at the Juggalos.

—Becky Grunewald

Musical mind workout: Being an adult is awesome because you can eat whatever you want for breakfast: cake, Rice Krispies, beer—no one is stopping you. Of course, there are consequences. After a time of indulging, maybe your untended-to tooth cavities feel like nerve hornets, or maybe you wake up in the morning and find you don’t have the will to face another day, or another piece of cake. What you need is some meat. I’m speaking musically, of course. Too much pop music has this effect on the listener in that it’s sweet and easy on the ears, but eventually, the sound starts to lose its luster. Staying engaged with art and music means hitting the metaphorical gym by seeking out performances that challenge both the listener and performer. Whether these sounds evoke dislike, anger, elation or confusion, it’s wise to embrace them, because we’re all starting to look a little loose in the midsection.

This past Saturday, the Fusion International Arts Center featured a homecoming set of sorts by the nearly operatic-in-scope performance artist Poppet, back in town after a stint in Olympia, Wash. The ebullient performer held her audience captive as she incorporated costume and movement with a dynamic vocal range and a style to rival Bjork.

Poppet recently finished a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund her first official release The Blue Sky Is Always Blue, featuring tracks culled from several years of home recordings. With any luck, a release show is in store, and when it comes, you’ll be ready.

Speaking of mind muscle workouts, this weekend check NorCal NoiseFest XVII. The multicity, multivenue, multiday crusade against the musically mundane features myriad performers exploring the outer limits of those spatial pressure oscillations called sound. The festival kicks off on Thursday, October 3, in Sacramento at the Naked Lounge Downtown (1111 H Street) and wraps up on Sunday, October 4, at Bows & Arrows (1815 19th Street). To try and describe the scheduled artists won’t do anyone any good: Just know it’ll be loud, confusing and sonically confrontational. Think of it as pop-music detox (www.norcalnoisefest.com).

—Juliana Boggs

Everything new is new again: Things at K Street’s newest music venue, Assembly, just got … newer. Bookers at Ace of Spades are set to take over shows at the Randy Paragary- and Bob Simpson-owned nightspot at 1000 K Street.

“Very stoked on this,” Ace co-owner Eric Rushing told SN&R via email. “[We’ve been] actively seeking a smaller room to complement Ace since the first year [we] opened … but nothing made sense until now.”

The new Assembly will follow the same format as the original Ace of Spades (1417 R Street). Expect harder rock, metal and hardcore, plus hip-hop and beats—“as well as comedy or any other type of event that may present itself.”

—Julianna Boggs